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If a list is set up with the ezmlm-make(1) -n switch, if the -e switch is added to the ezmlm-manage(1) line in DIR/manager, or if a DIR/modcanedit file exists with version 7 or later, ezmlm-idx allows remote administrators to edit the text files that make up most of the automated responses. Of course, this will work only if remote administration is enabled for the list. Replies are sent only if the target address is a remote administrator. Thus, ezmlm does not rely on SENDER (easily forged) but on the notion that only the recipient receives the message. This is a reasonable assumption for remote administrators that receive mail on the local system.
With this switch, ezmlm replies to the ‘-edit’ command with a list of the files in DIR/text/. Only files where editing seems reasonable are included in the list. The remote administrator can edit any file in DIR/text/ by sending e-mail containing the new text to ‘-edit.file’ where ‘‘file’’ is the name of the file replaced (edited). The file must exist and the name consist of only lower case letters and '-'. Any '-' (hyphen) must be substituted by a '_' (underscore). For remote administrator convenience, the substitution has been made in the list of files sent in reply to the ‘-edit’ command.
In reply to this command, ezmlm sends a message with the file and editing instructions. A "cookie" based on the date, file name, and contents of the file is added to the ‘Reply-To:’ address. The cookie becomes invalid as soon as the file has been changed, or after 27 hours, whichever is shorter. Also, the cookie cannot be used to edit any other file, even if the other file has exactly the same contents. If you sent an edit request, and decide not to edit the file, you can simply delete the message.
To apply standard changes to all your text files it is easier to edit ~/.ezmlmrc. To reset the list's text files back to their default contents (as specified by ezmlmrc(5)), use the ezmlm-make(1) -ee switch together with any other switches used to set up the list, or the -++ switch and any switches that you whish to change from the current configuration.